Baby-pen.



J; S. OGORMAN.

BABY PEN. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1916.

1,198,475. v PatenqedSept. 19,1916.

5 13 L1 QHWLMW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SHERMAN OGORMAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

BABY-PEN.

Application filed April 14, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN S. OGoRMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Portland, county of Multnomah, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baby-Pens, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to apparatus designed for use as a movable pen or closed ring shaped fence capable of being placed upon the floor or upon a bed to prevent a baby from creeping beyond certain defined limits, and more specifically comprises certain improvements in an apparatus of this type which renders it non-liable to get out of order, easily operated, capable of being folded into compact form and also arranged to serve as part of a crib in which the child may sleep, and for other purposes. Generally apparatus of this type is composed of a series of panels of uniform length hinged together so that they can be folded up into a compact body for transortation. To permit of such compact folding the series of panels have been usually made separable at one hinged joint. and the fastening means necessary at such point have given a great deal of trouble. In other cases where the panels have been permanently hinged together at all joints, it has been impossible where the necessary large number of panels are employed to fold the structure up into a compact body or to give it the flexibility necessary for a compact disposition of the parts when arranged to form articles of furniture as is desired. My invention overcomes these difficulties and produces a simple, durable form of apparatus which has the utmost flexibility of arrangement, can be folded into the most compact form for transportation, and has no detachable joints liable to get out of order. The best form of apparatus embodying my invention at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the pen opened out in polygonal form; Fig. 2 is a plan view a of the apparatus arranged to form a crib.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus folded up for transportation, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts. Preferably I employ six panels 1, 1, of uniform length pivoted together in series end to end, a pair Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Serial No. 91,243.

of longer sections 2, 2, each having a slightly reater length than the sections 1, 1, and ocated one at either end of the series of said panels 1, 1, and a second pair of much shorter sections 3, 3, pivoted together and joining the free ends of the first mentioned pair of longest sections 2, 2. 4, 4, represent pivot rods formin the pins joining these sections. Preferab y each section is formed of a number of approximately parallel slats 12, 12, as shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the panels so formed interdigitating and held together by the pivot rods 1. a

In the simplest form, the links are opened out in the form of a polygon shown in Fig. 1. They can also be arranged in numerous other forms, not illustrated, for the purpose of forming a gate, barrier, a fireplace fender, or a crib, as shown in Fig. 2.

. When arranged to form a crib, the six sectlons 1 are arranged in rectangular form, as shown and a light canvas couch 5, may be placed within the rectangle so formed. The preferred form of couch shown is jointed at the middle, the two halves being connected by pivot joint 6, so that they may be folded up in jackknife form for transportation. The legs 7, 7, are also pivoted to the couch frame at 8, 8, and are controlled by folding braces 9, 9, which are each formed of two sections pivoted together at 10, 10, to form knuckle joints, while the extremities of the braces are pivoted to the legs and couch frame at 11, 11. When arranged to form the rectangle for use as a crib, the pair of longest sections 2, 2, may be folded up alongside the rectangle and the twoi short sections 3, 3, permit of the necessary longitudinal adjustment of the sections 2, 2, to conform to the crib shape without producing any awkward projections or protuberances.

When the apparatus is to be transported, the sections 1, 1, and 2, 2, are folded together compactly, as shown in Fig. 3, and the length of the pair of shortest sections 3, 3, is then just equal to the distance between the juxtaposed ends of the first mentioned pair of longest sections 2, 2. As these longest sections 2, 2, project beyond the ends of the other sections 1, 1, a distance equal to the thickness of the panels 3, 3, the parts are all folded together in the most compact form without leaving any intervening spaces whatever.

The advantages of my invention comprise the absence of all hooks or snap fastenings whi'ch are liable to get out of order and which are apt to be ineffective, the great flexibility of the resulting structure and its compactness for shipping. The fact that all connections are pivotal and permanent and are in place when the apparatus is folded up for shipping as Well as when extended for use, lessens the liability of breakage during transportation.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A pen having in combination a plurality of sections pivoted together to form an endless chain, an even number of said sections having uniform lengths connected togcther in series, a pair of said sections each having a slightly greater length than those of the first mentioned series located one at either end of said series, and a second pair of much shorter sections pivoted together and joining the free ends of the first mentioned pair.

2. A pen having in combination a plurality of sections pivoted together to form an endless chain, an even number of said sections having uniform lengths connected together in series, a pair of said sections each having a slightly greater length than those of the first mentioned series located one at either end of said series, and a second pair of much shorter sections pivoted together and joining the free ends of the first mentioned pair, the total length of the last mentioned pair of shortest sections being equal to the distance between the juxtaposed ends of the first mentioned pair of longest sections when allthe, links of the endless chain are folded together in most compact form.

3. A pen having in combination a plurality of sections each comprising approximately parallel slats, the interdigitating ends of which sections are pivoted together to form an endless chain, an even number of said sections having uniform lengths connected together in series, a pair of said sections each having a slightly greater length than those of the first mentioned series located one at either end of said series, and a second pair of much shorter sections pivoted together and joining the free ends of the first mentioned pair of longest sections when all the links of the endless chain are folded together in most compact form.

4. A pen having in combination a plurality of sections each comprising approximately parallel slats, the interdigitating ends of which sections are pivoted together to form an endless chain, six of said sections havin uniform lengths connected together in series, a pair of said sections each having a slightly greater length than those of the first mentioned series located one at either end of said series, and a second pair of much shorter sections pivoted together and joining the free ends of the first mentioned pair.

JOHN SHERMAN OGORMAN. 

